The border crisis may have vanished from the media headlines, but it is far from fading for millions of Texans living this reality.
The mainstream 24/7 news cycle has simply diverted your attention to a more convenient narrative and away from a multifaceted problem plaguing our country. I recently visited the Del Rio sector with my campaign staff. This trip was not my first or a simple photo op, but rather a more in-depth view of the border reality. A check-up if you will. I grew up in McAllen, where for 19 years I lived in the RGV sector, and I know “border” issues well, but I have never seen it quite like this. Growing up, we never saw so much chaotic lawlessness and disregard for the sanctity of our southern border.
I have been to our southern border three times in the last 9 months, meeting up with friends on the frontline and confirming the continuation and intensity of this crisis. One of the first videos I shot for my campaign website was made in April/May 2021, and I can tell you now, it is only getting worse. Much worse. It is clear this problem is not only escalating by the minute under this new administration, but even Democratic mayors and congressman are now raising their voices at the national level and on conservative news outlets. When the left turns to conservative news outlets for help, we know the problem is serious.
Seeing these towns overrun with crime and human trafficking, resources being exhausted and even our own U.S. citizens subjected to different standards and more stringent travel requirements is heart-wrenching. Almost as if this administration considers our own citizens secondary. We need a return to America First policies, and we need it NOW!
Emergency services can’t be timely deployed, already strained hospital services are further constrained, to influxes of thousands of illegal immigrants crossing our border (tens of thousands a month; 200K+ at its peak). People are literally dying due to loss of access to critical services. All of this is an everyday reality for Texas border communities. The consequences of this reckless disregard for our laws spreads like wildfire in the form of increased crime and human trafficking to the rest of our sovereign land.
I am the only candidate running for TX38 with clear, actionable solutions, firsthand knowledge, and the drive to get this crisis under control. I can further adapt legislative solutions using my business experience and the power of the purse to layer a multi-pronged solution that will make conditions better in their home country. My first border crisis video – over nine months old – can be found on www.TexansForLopez.com/media (Border Crisis). You can also view videos from our February 2022 Del Rio sector border trip; notice nothing has changed. We still have a porous border. Our agents cannot engage and are forced to sit back and watch as illegal migrants run roughshod over our border.
Texas has issues and I have solutions
My solution to stem the flow contains three simple solutions to close loopholes in our current immigration policy. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Homan, also posted on my Facebook page (Oct 6, 2021), to hear from him, firsthand, the challenges our border officials are facing. One facet is the illegal crossing and processing component. First, the requirements for an asylum claim are simply too easy to game. Cartels and NGO’s give scripts to illegal aliens to pass the first step and enter our country. This criteria needs to be a stricter, something more like what you would get in an actual court appearance. Unfortunately, only 13% show up to court after making an asylum claim; the rest are already inside our borders and never report to court. The illegal aliens fold into society and start families, and some even become dependent on our entitlement programs or are day-laborers paid in cash, never contributing to Social Security or other federal taxes and are only paying consumption–based local and state sales taxes. This is a never-ending cycle, draining our resources for future generations.
Next, we have the TVPA (Trafficking Victims Protection Act). This addresses human and sex trafficking victims; these are adults and children who we desperately need to protect. The TVPA immediately returns any person from Mexico or Canada who makes a trafficking claim that does not fit the pre-defined criteria. If the person making the claim originates from anywhere else around the world, they are allowed to remain in the U.S. while they await a multi-year process before being deported. We need uniform laws across the board no matter the country of origin.
Lastly, The Flores Settlement Agreement handed down from the 9th circuit, dictates how INS treats unaccompanied minors. According to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, unaccompanied minors cannot be in the custody of Border Patrol or ICE for more than 72 hours and must be turned over to HHS. However, judge Dolly Gee from the 9th circuit decided that she can treat accompanied minors just like unaccompanied minors. Dir. Tom Homan submitted an affidavit on this matter requesting a 40-45 day hold (2014-2015 the Family Residential Centers were built, at that time it took an average of 40 days for a family to see a judge). This extra holding time would have given them ample time to see a judge, hear their claim and allow them to lawfully stay in the U.S. and then be released or remove them back to their country of origin. These detention centers have housing, medical care (the likes of which many have never experienced), education and many more social services. A slight legislative revision to this “agreement” provides for ample time to adjudicate these cases properly and determine if they fit the criteria of any of the aforementioned conditions to enter the U.S. lawfully.
The last component I want to add is “floating or mobile courts,” whereas a floating/mobile court can be rapidly deployed to the site/location of an influx, just as we have pop-up tent cities and detention centers, contracting retired or part time judges to adjudicate these cases based upon the laws of our sovereign nation.
Finally, I want to address my business experience and financial mindset to tackle another component of this issue, making conditions better in their home country. The idea is simple and hits two major issues that make our country safer and more prosperous. Using the power of the purse, we disincentivize the trek. No more entitlement incentives for non-citizens.
The power of the purse is critical. One, we start developing a transition to move our supply chain from the Eastern Hemisphere to the Western. That plan would bring jobs back to the U.S. and the western hemisphere. This helps us work more closely with allies from a logistics perspective and a more friendly business environment. Wouldn’t you rather work with strong allies rather than foes – you know who I’m talking about! This brings economic prosperity to countries that can begin developing infrastructure and creating jobs within their home countries by doing business and engaging in lawful trade with the U.S. Not only does this create jobs that help our country to continue to innovate and grow, but it helps our neighbors grow their country and promotes lawful immigration and fosters respect for our sovereign borders.
If executed fully, in my humble opinion, we would stem the flow of illegal immigration and reduce the strain to our economy. Think about it. The people who flee their country, their families, their culture, do it for a better life because there is nothing else that can be done in their country. If we give them a small component of what we have here in our country, we can bring some stability to their lives in their country and allow our economy to rebound. Win-win!
This idea is very macro, and once elected to represent TX38, it will easily translate to actionable legislation that will address this crisis. I am the only candidate with the executive business expertise who will not only be able to develop but successfully execute legislation that will benefit Americans first and also allow allied nations to prosper and develop.
My name is Roland Lopez and I come to you with fresh ideas and solutions. I am a devoted father and a successful businessman. I am not a career politician with a laundry list of party insider endorsements. I want to SERVE my country by representing TX38 with honor and integrity. I humbly ask for your vote to serve you now, not for a lifetime, and then return to Texas, God’s country, when my work is done. God Bless.
Roland Lopez
U.S. Congress TX38
